


The Contemplations of a King

by Llama1412



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-20
Updated: 2010-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:34:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23484643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama1412/pseuds/Llama1412
Summary: Uther notices something that should bother him. He's not sure if it does.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 88





	The Contemplations of a King

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on livejournal in 2010-2011. Posted unedited.

On the morning of his son's seventh birthday, Uther had awoken to a nightmare. Yells of desperation burst passed his lips as the image of his wife's necklace shattering against the stone floor pervaded his mind. As soon as his eyes opened, his hands were flying to his neck, checking that the amulet was, thankfully, safe. But something in his mind told him that it was time to let go. He had his memories of Ygraine, had other remnants of her life to haunt him, to comfort him. But on that day, the seventh anniversary of her death, he felt that his son deserved something more of her than a shared day of birth and death.

Arthur had been overjoyed. His other presents were magnificent, of course. Uther's original gift of a gelding had been appreciated and all of the nobles had bestowed treasures upon him. But it was the amulet Arthur gazed at with wide eyes, that he cupped in his hand with a soft smile on his face. It was the amulet that Arthur never took off when he could help it, that he tucked under his tunic when entering the ring to fight.

It was that amulet that Uther now saw around the neck of the servant that followed Arthur around like a lost dog. That amulet that Arthur had entrusted upon this boy that he hurtled abuse at day after day, softening the blow with self-destructive attempts at protection. It was that amulet that confirmed Uther's fears and hopes.

Arthur had seen the amulet for what it was, the symbol of Ygraine's love. He had bestowed that token of love upon another. A peasant. A servant.

A servant had found a place in Arthur's heart above his love for a mother he'd never known. Uther wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He thought it might be possible that he was pleased Arthur had found someone to stand beside him. He thought that he perhaps wished Arthur better luck with the servant boy than what he'd had with Ygraine. He thought that he might even trust the servant with his son's welfare. He knew that he would never reveal any of this to anyone.


End file.
